It Is The Thought That Counts
by StarOfFeanor
Summary: A six year old Percy tries to make a special Mothers Day for Sally. Nothing seems to go right. This is for my mom and any other moms out there.


**This story is dedicated to my mom. I may be poor, but at least I can show you that I was thinking of you. Happy Mother's Day, Mom. :-)**

 *****Note- this is set before the Lightning Thief. Percy is around 6 years old.**

 **Disclaimer- I do not own Percy Jackson and the Olympians or the Heroes of Olympus series. (One can dream though) All rights go to the proper parties.**

ΩΩΩ

 **Percy POV**

 _Ring... Ring... Ri..._

I turned off my alarm before it could wake up anyone else. I quickly put on clothing and went out to the kitchen.

I knew exactly where mom kept her coffee. I couldn't reach the top cupboards so I pulled a chair up to the counter. I had never tried to make it before but I had seen my mom do it every morning.

 _How hard could it be?_

I tried my best to be quiet but I dropped the coffee can. I waited a moment but I didn't hear anyone moving. I smiled as I hoped down to grab the container. I was lucky that it didn't open.

I grabbed the pot and filled it with water just how I had seen her do it. I spilt some in the sink, but I still got about half of the water in the back of the machine. I opened the compartment that held the grounds and put in a filter. I opened the coffee can before I realized I didn't know how much to put in.

I bit my lip and shrugged. I had seen my mom make cakes and she always filled it level with the top, so that must be how it worked. I smiled happily as I added the grounds and turned on the pot.

I put the coffee back where it went before grabbing my mom a bowl. I got the cereal from the cupboard and the milk from the fridge. I put it on the table where she always sat. I also brought her favourite mug to the table for her coffee. It was blue and had a picture of some statue on it. I couldn't remember who the statue was supposed to be of, but she told me he was a Greek god. I was fairly certain his name started with a 'P'.

I heard the door down the hall open and I ran to hide behind the table so I could surprise her. I heard footsteps enter the kitchen and I jumped out, "Surprise!"

A snort greeted me and I frowned. It wasn't my mom, it was smelly Gabe.

"What do you look so proud of? Even an idiot could make coffee. What does that make you, huh?" He grabbed mom's special mug and poured himself a cup of the coffee that I had made.

"I made that for mom."

He gave me a disgusted look. "It's my damned house, I will drink my coffee if I damned well feel like it kid."

My frown grew even bigger. My mom worked two different jobs while smelly Gabe never even went in to work. I knew better than to say anything though. Mom didn't like when we fought, and this day was supposed to be for her.

Smelly Gabe took a sip of his stolen coffee and made a face before spitting it out in the sink. "What the hell is this?"

"It's coffee."

"This isn't coffee, this is tar." He threw my mom's mug and I winced as it slammed into the sink.

My mom must have been drawn by the noise because she came in before I could say anything about it. "What happened?"

"Nothing, kid ruined a perfectly good pot of coffee."

Her eyes widened in surprise and she turned to me with a smile. "Percy, you made me coffee?"

"No, kids to dumb to even do that."

She was still smiling at me, "Oh I'm sure it's not that bad. Why don't I finish that pot and I can make you a new one?"

"No, it's not fit to drink." Before she could say anything else, he proceeded to dump the rest of the pot down the sink.

I gasped in shock as all my hard work literally went down the drain.

 _Well, so much for making her breakfast..._

ΩΩΩ

I had to go to day care. Since my mom didn't start work till later, she could walk me there. I loved walking with my mom. We would always play different games. Like I spy, or find different shapes in the clouds.

I was holding her hand, skipping along beside her when I saw a pretty yellow flower. My teacher called them dandelions. I had always liked the name. It reminded me of the big cat that Hercules fought in the bed time stories that my mom read me.

I let go of her hand and pulled away. She looked worried for a moment before she saw what I was pointing too. I reached down to pick it when some guy in a suit stepped on it.

I gasped in shock.

 _Who would step on such a pretty flower?_

When he lifted his foot, I picked it up. It was squashed flat and the head had come off.

I sighed and let the ruined flower fall back to the ground.

 _So much for getting my mommy a flower..._

ΩΩΩ

At day care, we were making crafts to give to our moms. Our teacher had brought in fancy cups. We were filling them with stuffing and then she was helping us glue material around the top to make a beautiful pin cushion. The teacher even let me have the cup with the blue flowers on it.

I was really excited. I knew my mom would like it. She did a lot of sewing and all she had was an old tin. I was just finished decorating it and was bringing it to the counter on the far side of the room to dry when another kid ran into me. My mom's pin cushion fell to the floor and it broke in two.

The teacher came over and cleaned it up but there was nothing she could do, she didn't have any extra cups so that I could make her another one.

 _I guess I can't give my mom a present after all..._

ΩΩΩ

My mom worked really late that night so I was stuck at home with smelly Gabe. He was having one of his poker parties so the entire house smelt like his stinky cigars.

I was in my room. I was working on something for my mom. I couldn't give her breakfast, I couldn't get her a flower, I couldn't give her a present, but I could do this.

I had just finished it when I heard the front door open. I smiled as I hid my creation under my pillow and waited for my mom to come tuck me in. Sure enough, a few minutes later the door to my room opened and my mom came in.

"Hey sweetie, time for bed."

I nodded and lay down. She pulled the blankets up and sat next to me. Once she was sitting, I reached under my pillow and handed her the efforts of my labour.

"Happy Mother's Day, Mom." She smiled in surprise and took the card I had made her. It was made of blue construction paper and on the front; I had drawn a house on the beach. "It's our cabin at Montauk." Her eyes widened and she kissed my forehead before opening it.

Inside I had written a simple message. I had made sure to concentrate really hard so that everything was spelt correctly.

 _You're the best Mom ever._

 _Love, Percy_

I saw her eyes water and she covered her mouth with her hand. I frowned, "Please don't cry Mom. I don't want you to be sad."

She shook her head and pulled me into a hug. "I'm not crying because I'm sad Percy. I'm crying because I'm happy. Thank you, it's perfect."

I smiled and wrapped my arms around her too. "I'm sorry that I couldn't do anything else."

She pulled back just far enough to give me a stern look. "Percy, don't say that. I could tell just how hard you worked to make this day special for me."

I shook my head, "But nothing went right..."

She sighed and brushed my hair back from my forehead. She gave me another smile, the kind that told me just how much she loved me.

"Honey, it's the thought that counts. I appreciated everything you did for me. The coffee you made me, the flower you wanted to pick for me, and when you were getting your shoes; your teacher told me about the craft you made. She told me exactly how hard you worked on it and just how upset you were when it broke. But I don't need any special gifts or anything. I know that I am a lucky woman because you are my son."

I smiled and kissed her cheek. "I love you mom."

She pulled me back into another hug. "I love you too Percy."


End file.
